Airdropping is the method of delivering a payload (also referred to herein as “cargo”) from an aircraft, still in flight, to the earth using parachutes as decelerators. Although parachutes are often used to slow decent of the payload to the ground, the payload can still be damaged upon impact with the ground. Upon impact, kinetic energy must be dissipated by a structure independent of the delivered equipment or that energy could impart damage that can possibly render the payload unusable. To protect the payload from ground impact, protective materials are strategically placed below the payload to help absorb impact.
Due to the height of energy dissipating materials required, some loads are at risk of rolling over after impact. Outriggers may be used as a means of preventing roll-over. When outriggers or other protective structures are placed on the top of the platform those structures can reduce the space available for critical cargo. The airplane cargo bay area limits the maximum height of the payload and material used to protect the payload. For example, when the payload rolls out of the cargo bay for the airdrop, as the center of gravity passes over the edge of the cargo bay ramp, the platform supporting the payload will start to teeter so that the front of the platform lifts up. Lifting up of the front of the platform can cause the payload to adversely interact with the aircraft.